Time-switch mechanism



1929- F. SAUTER TIME SWITCH MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1928 Patented- Aug. 6, 1929.

" UNITED STATES rnrrz SAUTER, or BASEL, S ITZERLAND.

TIME-SWITCH Application filed .Tune 25, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to an automatic time switch for lectric and gas illumination having a time disc and adjustable .switch elements in which the adjustment of the switchelements for the switching on and switchin off of the illumination is auto- .matically e ected throughout the year by -means-'of cam discscorresponding to the alteration in the times of sunset and sunrise.

v In principle, devices of this kind are to some extent known, but all have the defect of being complicated in construction, the interchange of the cam discs effecting the ad- 16 justment of the switch elements being dithcult andwearisome.

The time switch constructed according to the present invention on the other hand has the advantage of being simple and relative- 1y small and is so arranged that the cam'disc can-be readily interchan ed; Thus the time switches can be mass produced in the factory and. just before" disposal be provided with the required cam. discs. This operation can 2 be effected without taking the time switch to pieces, which is of great importance as regards mass production as well as in the maintenance of public illumination plant, where it frequently. occurs that the switch cams require to be altered.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1.is a rear' view, Figure 2a cross sectional view, and Figure 3 a front elevational view of the im roved device.

Referring now to the rawings the time disc lhas-a rearwardly projecting; hollow portion 2 by means of which it is secured on the shaft'of a clockwork mechanism and is adapted to effect a complete revolution in 24 hours, the face of the disc l being provided with a scale 3 comprising divisions corresponding to hours. A ring 4 is secured to the time disc 1 by means of 'threebolt's 5,

45 5", 5', whichare'provided for. maintaining the mechanism in position.

A month disc 6 is rotatably'mounted upon the tubular portion 2 by means of a rearwardly extending'hollow portion? of't'he disc. 6, the face of the latter being provided mncnamsm.

288,120, and in Switzerland July 6, 1927.

with a scale having divisions corres O'nding to thetwelve months. The month so 6 is toothed at its periphery and is rotated by means of a pinion 8 to which a toothed wheel 9 is secured.

A pinion 10 cooperates with the toothed wheel 9 and is rotated by a five fingered 'wheel 11. The pinions 8 and 10, the toothed wheel 9 and the five fingered wheel 11 are located-between the time disc 1 and the ring 4. Upon each complete revolution of the time disc 1, one finger of the five fingered wheel 11 strikes against a stop (not shown) and is thus rotated daily through A; of a complete revolution; this partial rotation is transmitted by the members 10, 9, -8-to the month disc 6, which is thus rotated relatively to the time disc 1. a

On the hollow portion 7 of the month disc 6 a boss 12 is secured having a flange-like projection 13, on which a cam disc 14 is mounted, a cam disc 15 being provided further along the boss 12. Both cam discs are maintained spaced apart by means of two bushings 16, 16" and are secured to the flange 13 by means of screw-bolts17', 17

Two switch arms 18, 18" are pivotally mounted between the month disc '6 and the boss 12 on the tubular portion 7 these arms being provided with lugs 19, 19" adapted to engage in a groove 20 in the hour disc 1, the arms being adjustable with respect to the disc.

On the stepped portion 21 of the hollow portion 2 of the disc 1 two movable arms 22, 22" are pivotally located and at the free ends of these arms lugs 23, 23 are provided. These latter are screw-threaded and can be connected by means pf adjusting bolts 24, 24" to the switch arms 18,.18", so that each pair of arms 18', 22" and 18", 22" forms a co-acting whole. The cam discs 14, 15 are thus located in the space between the arms 18', 18" and 22', 22".

A projecting pin 25 on the arm 22' and a pin 26 on the arm 22" are adapted to cause the switching operation upon the rotation of the time disc 1 by engaging with a switch contact member. The segmental ends of; the switch arms 100 ening the bolts 24,

18', 18" are provided with slots 27, 27" concentric withthe time disc. After loos- 24" these can be moved together with the arms 22, 22 relatively to the switch arms 18, 18" with the object of adjusting or displacing the switch times, according to the local requirements, with respect to the middle position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. In order to be able to read the displacement of the arms 22', 22

with respect to the switch arms 18', 18", the

lugs 23, 23" are provided with indicators 29, 29 and adapted to be brought opposite to notchesv indicating quarters ofhours such as the notches 28, 28" for example.

On the hollow portion 2 of the time or hulII' disc 1 a securing ring 30 is also provided, which limits the axial play of the arms 22, 22", and also of the month disc 6 having the hollow portion 7 Two transmission levers 31, 31 are pivotally mounted on the ring 4 at 32', 32". They lie in one and the same plane between the cam discs 14, 15 and carry projecting pins 33, 33". The pin 33 extends rearwardly (Figure 1) and lies against the cam disc 14, the pin' 33" and lying against the cam disc 15. Connecting links 34, 34 are connected to the switch arms 18', 18" at 35, 35". These links are provided at their other ends with bosses 36, 36", on which-they are pivotally connected with the free ends of the transmission levers 31, 31".

The transmission levers 31, 31 have at their pivots 32', 32 projections 37 37 to which springs 38, 38" are attached, these springs being connected at their other ends w1th pins 39, 39 which are secured to the ring 4. By means of the springs 38, 38" the vtransmission levers 31, 31 together with their pins 33', 3 ,aremaintained in position on their respective cam discs 14, 15.

A leaf spring 40 is secured to the ring 4, the free end of this spring being arranged to lie against a pentagon head 11'- which is secured to the axis of the five fingered wheel 11, with the object of maintaining the five fingered wheel in each of.

its five positions of rest.

A window 41 is provided in the time disc 1, through which the scale Ito XII of the month disc is visible (Figure 3), and an indicator 41 is provided on the time disc, which indicates the position of the month disc vby means of this scale. Each month division is divided into three sections indi- I eating the 1st, 10th and 20th of each month.

The method of operation is as follows: The time disc 1 effects daily one complete revolutlon, one finger of the five finger wheel 11 striking at'each completerevolution against a stop (not illustrated in the drawing) so that the wheel 11 is rotated through A, of a complete revolution. The

projecting forwardly transmission ratio of the pinion 10 with redaily, a complete revolution of the month disc 6 and therewith of the cam discs 14, 15 takes place in 365 days or one year.

The pin 33 of the transmission lever 31 is in contact with the cam disc 14 and the pin 33 of the transmission lever 31 lies on the cam disc 15, this position of the levers and pins being assured by the action of springs 38', 38". The transmission le vers 21', 31" thus effect according to the amount ofrotation of the cam discs 14, 15, an oscillation corresponding to the eccentricity or curved form of the discs, while rotating on their pivots 32 or 32". On account of their connection with the switch arms 18, 18", the levers 31, 31 effect this oscillating movement integrally therewith, and according to the curved form of the cam discs 14, 15 it is possible to arrange for the switch arms 18, 18 to carry out any desired movement for varying the switching periods.

the switch pins 25, 26 strike against the switch mechanism, causing the latter to opcrate then a pressure is exerted on the switch arms 18', 18" in a direction opposite to the'direction of rotation of the time disc 1, (indicated by an arrow in Figures 1 and 3') whereby the switch arms 18, 18"

tend to press the levers 31, 31 together with the pins 33, 33 still more firmly against the cam discs 14, 15. Thus any play between the pins 33, 33 and the cam discs 'is automatically eliminated. The springs 38', 38" have for their object to apply the levers 31', 31" together with the pins 33, 33 against the cam discs 14, 15 and to pre vent indiscriminate movement of the switch arms 18', 18" in the intermediate period or rest period.

If the desired daily switching in and switching out times dependent upon the time of year are indicated graphically on the axes of a coordinate system, a switching inand' switching out curve of sinusoidal form will be obtained.

The sunrise and sunset curves and therewith also the switching in and switching out curves vary according to the degree of lati tude, and in fact the curves for places near the Equator are flatter and for places near the earth polessteeper. It is therefore only necessary to impart to the cam discs a correspondingly greater or smaller eccentricity.

The time switch must therefore be pro'-. vided with the switching in and switching out cams corresponding to the locality where the switch is to be utilized. The insertion or interchange of the cams is very simple and effected by the following manipulations.

First the securing ring 30 and the bolts 24, 24" are removed and the arms 22, 22 withdrawn. Then the bolts 17, 17" are taken out, whereupon the cam discs 14, 15 can be. removed. The latter can be replaced in the reverse sequence of operations. It is therefore of advantage that the cam discs 14,

' ment thereof with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of sunset and sunrise, said cam discs being relatively rotatable about the axis of the time disc and axially displaced apart from one another, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the cam discs, being pivotally arranged between the latter, and linking connectors connecting said transmission levers with said switching elements for forcibly actuating same.

. '2. An automatic time switch mechanism, comprising a rotary time disc, switching arms associated thereto, adjusting arms placed apart therefrom, relatively ad ustable to said switching arms and coupled thereto to form adjustable switching systems on said time disc, two movable cam discs for automatic adjustment of said switching systems with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year a'ccording to the alteration of the times of sunset and sunrise, said cam discs being relatively rotatable about the axis of the time disc and axially displaced apart from one another, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the cam discs, bein pivotally arranged between the latter, an linking connectors connecting said transmission levers with said switching arms for forcibly actuating same.

3. An automatic time switch mechanism, comprising a rotary time disc, switching arms associated thereto, adjusting arms placed at a certain distance apart therefrom, relatively adjustable to said switching arms and coupled thereto to form adjustable switching systems on said time disc, twomovable cam discs for automatic adjustment of said switching systems with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of sunset and sunrise, said cam discs being relatively rotatable about the axis of the time disc and axially displaced apart from one another in the s ace between the switching arms and the a justing arms, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the cam discs, being pivotally arranged between the latter, and linkingconnectors connecting said transmission levers with said switching arms for forcibly actuating same.

4. An automatic time switch mechanism, comprising a rotary time disc, switching arms associated thereto and having adjust-- ing segmental end ortions, adjusting arms placed apart therefrom, adjusting bolts to adjustably couple said adjusting arms with the adjusting segmental end portions of said switching arms to form adjustable switching systems on said time disc, means to visually indicate the relative position of adjustment of said switching and adjusting arms, two movable cam discs for automatic adjustment of said switching systems with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of a sunset and sunrise, said cam discs being rel atively rotatable about the axis of the time disc and axially displaced apart from one another in the space between the switching arms and the adjusting arms, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the cam discs, being pivotally arranged between the latter, and linking connectors connecting said transmission levers with said switching arms for forcibly actuating same.

5. An automatic time switch mechanism, comprising a rotary time disc, switching arms associated thereto,- adjusting arms placed at a certain distance apart therefrom, relatively adjustable to said switching arms and coupled thereto to form adjustable switching systems on said time disc, two movable cam discs for automatic adjustment of said switching systems with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of sunset and sunrise, said cam discs being relatively rotatable about the axis of the time disc and axially displaced apart from one another in the space between the switching arms and the adjusting arms, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the cam discs, a supporting ring located in the space between the said switching and adjusting arms, the transmission levers being pivoted on said ring so as to lie between the cam discs, and linking connectors connecting the transmission levers with said switching arms for forcibly actuating same.

6. An. automatic time switch mechanism, comprlslng a rotary time disc, switching arms assoclated thereto, adjusting arms placed at a certain distance apart therefrom,

relatively adjustable to said switching arms and coupled thereto to form adjustable switching systems on said time disc, two movable cam discs for automatic adjustment of said switching systems with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of sunset and sunrise, said'cam discs being relatively rotatable about the axis of the time disc and axially displaced apart from one another in the'space between the switching arms and the adjusting arms, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the ing operation, and linking connectors connecting the transmission levers with said switching-arms for forcibly actuating same.

7. An automatic time switch mechanism, comprising a rotary time disc, switching arms associated thereto, adjusting arms placed at a certain distance apart therefrom,

relatively adjustable to said switching arms and coupled thereto to form adjustable switching systems on said time disc, two movable cam discs for automatic adjustment of said switching systems with respect to the time disc to regulate switching-in and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of sunset and transmission levers against the cam discs to' prevent indiscriminate movement thereof in the condltlons of rest, and lmklng connectors connecting the transmission levers with said switching arms for forcibly actuating same.

8. An automatic time switch mechanism, comprising a rotary time disc having a hollow hub portion, a rotary tubular piece on said hub portion, adjustable switching elements arranged to be movable around the axis of the time disc, a flanged supporting boss fixed on said tubular piece, two distinct cam discs removably fixed to said boss at a certain axial distance from one another and arranged for producing automatic adjustment of said switching elements with respect to the time disc to regulate switchingin and switching-out during the year according to the alteration of the times of sunset and sunrise, two transmission levers adapted to cooperate respectively with the cam discs, being pivotally arranged between the latter, and linking connectors connecting said transmission levers with said switching elements for forcibly actuating same.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 14th day of J une, 1928.

- FRITZ SAUTER. 

